When you bring up the subject of food issues, and things like weight control and binge eating, it strikes a very personal chord for many people. It’s a touchy subject, and one that often times comes with a great deal of self-shame. According to statistics, it’s estimated that up to 30 million people in the US alone suffer with some type of eating disorder. *

To say that you are not alone if you struggle with food in any way, is an understatement, but it’s important to understand that for those who have or current do live with any type of food issue, often times they absolutely feel alone. This has been a personal struggle for me, and a really a life long battle that has more ups and downs than you shake a stick at.

So when I was approached by my friend, and returning podcast guest, Davina Lytle, about discussing this subject on the show, I had some unsettling feelings. Not because I didn’t want to talk about it, but because I wanted to make very sure that we covered it in a way that was validating, encouraging, and supportive for everyone who listens.

Davina writes for her blog, on DavinaLytle.com, and shares how “I was diagnosed with post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) just over 12 years ago, but I’ve had it most of my life. I don’t function like most other people, but I believe I function quite well for someone with PTSD. I try to look at things positively and I try to avoid things that are negative; especially people, because I take a lot of things to heart.”

As we get started on the podcast, Davina talks about when her struggles with binge eating began, and how it started about the same that her parents had split up and abuse in the home began to escalate. She talks about “eating her words”, and you’ll learn how by doing so it became a substitute for reaching out and asking for help.

We talk about the struggles that both of us endured, since our stories are similar in some ways, of using food as a coping mechanism and a comfort. How sitting around and downing a bag of chips and a bowl of ice cream became the go to way for dealing with stress, anxiety, and numbing from the pain of what was unfolding around us while growing up.

Into adulthood, the struggle is still real because things that were learned in younger years had carried over and those unhealthy coping strategies and using food to numb the pain had also carried over. As she shares, food became a way for her to try to avoid the very subject of men and relationships.

“I figured if I got fat then I would be unattractive to men who were inappropriate with their actions and words…but you know what, it didn’t. It just kept on.”

As we discuss, we not only judge ourselves because of the way that we look, but then we also shame ourselves because of the way we deal with how we look, again by eating. The cycle just keeps going on and on, eating and shame, eating and shame, and it wasn’t until Davina was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, that things began to change…because her life now depended on it.

We discuss these topics and more, in-depth, during our show…so grab those headphones or plug us into your car speakers and join us on the podcast.

Thanks again Davina for sharing so openly, and for validating all who struggle with finding a healthy relationship with food. your insight will surely encourage so many with a message of hope!

Be sure and check out DavinaLytle.com and follower her on Twitter: @DavinaLytle.

If you’d like more information on working with a certified life coach, I encourage you to check around Beyond Your Past, and schedule your free intro session! Always remember, You Are Worth It…and there is hope for moving forward from what holds you back.

*Source: Mirror-Mirror.com

This post and podcast is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

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All conversation and information exchanged during participation on the Beyond Your Past Podcast, on BeyondYourPast.com, and BeyondYourPastRadio.com is intended for educational and informational purposes only. Nothing on these podcasts or posted on the above mentioned websites are supplements for or supersedes the relationship and direction of your medical or mental health providers.

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